


The Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice was a Tragedy

by motherfruckerdude



Series: Shameless Lauki [3]
Category: Purple Hyacinth (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Coughing, F/M, Graphic Description of Corpses, Hurt No Comfort, Hurts So Good, I'm Sorry, Minor Character Death, Whump, also me: does this, he never even got to-, me: begs for fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:14:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23825146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motherfruckerdude/pseuds/motherfruckerdude
Summary: The plan had been simple.Lauren was supposed to wait. All she had to do was stay around the corner from the Green Goblin, out of sight, and wait for Kieran to finish up business.But, like always, Lauren had to make things difficult for Kieran.He misses cleaning up her messes.
Relationships: Lauren Sinclair & Kieran White, Lauren Sinclair/Kieran White, Lauren/Kieran
Series: Shameless Lauki [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695013
Comments: 33
Kudos: 103





	The Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice was a Tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to Little Lion Man while reading, I had it on repeat while writing lol.
> 
> Me: *Begs soph and eph for fluff*  
> Also me: *writes this*

The plan had been simple.

Lauren was supposed to wait. All she had to do was stay around the corner from the Green Goblin, out of sight, and wait for Kieran to finish up business. 

Upon his entrance to the bar, a crowd of men flooded out and onto the street, parting for him. The assassin continued on his way through the bar; people stopped and stared or cowered away out of his line of sight. The usual. Kieran remained unaffected by his surroundings, and made his way to confirm a kill.

It was all so normal.

Until the first shot rang out.

He’d always had a lot running through his head, but as of right then all he could think about was Lauren; flashes of her gun in his face swam in his vision. What could have happened? He thought back to before he even made it into the Green Goblin, when the group of men had come stumbling out. There had been twelve at _least_.

She needed him. Now.

Speeding back through the bar, he shoved his way past everyone between him and the door. After finally making it back onto the road, he ran faster than he ever had before. Kieran had to get to Lauren, she could be hurt. 

The only evidence she was still alive was the periodic shot of a gun. This was also how he knew he was getting closer; shouts, the sound of flesh splitting, bones snapping, someone crying. Sure signs of a fight, at least. If they’re still fighting, then she’s still alive, right? Unless it was her flesh splitting. Her bones snapping. 

Her crying.

For some reason, that thought was what made him nauseous. Not the idea of blood being spilled or pain being inflicted, just the possibility Lauren was crying. Strong, resilient, calm, composed, determined Lauren. 

With the final turn of a corner, the Purple Hyacinth came face to face with a blood bath. 

Bodies on the floor, writhing in pain or too still for comfort. Crimson staining the path below reminiscent of the Hanbury Street that haunted his dreams. 

“Shit!” The voice so familiar it made him want to weep. His partner. 

He searched the scene for red hair and gold eyes, settling on the crowd of men further down the alley. 

A cold _bang_ resounded through the street. Another body dropped.

“Back the fuck up, or join all your other buddies in hell.” A cold voice threatened. Kieran had heard her like this few times before. Images of her against a cave wall, voice cold but eyes pleading, flashed into the forefront of his mind. He shoved them away; he and Lauren had settled that a long time ago. 

The Purple Hyacinth drew his sword swiftly, blade cutting through men like butter. 

Three.

A cry sounded from the remaining men. 

Five.

He was a predator now, chasing after his prey. 

Six.

A snarl tore it’s way out of him. Dripping accompanied by the smell of ammonia.

The man had pissed himself.

Seven.

A quick look around resulted in the certainty that there was no one left. Nobody but her.

Lauren.

She dragged herself up, huffing and puffing. Right arm wrapped around her middle, the other braced against the wall, she lifted her head. Red ran down her face and got lost in her hair, bleary gold eyes blinked at him slowly. Lauren’s typical clothing was torn up, caked in filth and blood, and was missing it’s overcoat.

“Heh, you’re not looking too good there, officer.” Kieran commented, attempting a smirk.

“Huh, really? I wonder why… Oh! Maybe it’s be-” Her sarcastic quip was vetoed by a rough sounding cough, “Maybe it’s because I just got jumped by a bunch of guys.” 

The assassin started toward his partner in an effort to help her, which was received horribly.

“Oh, calm down. I-” The officer gasped sharply, dropping to her knees, “Sorry. I’m fine, just hurting all over.” Her face was pallid and grim looking, losing more and more color by the second.

“Can you walk? We need to get you somewhere safe. No doubt the cops are already on their way, I think I hear sirens… Lauren?” The woman had slumped over, completely unconscious.

Was she even conscious? He could see her breathing...

“Hey, Lauren, you okay?”

“...”

“Lauren?”

“...”

“Shit!” The assassin cried, dropping next to his partner. His hands hovered, not wanting to make anything worse. Sirens and flashing lights signaled the nearing of the police, further rushing him to make a decision. Kieran knew they had to get out of there, being caught like that could mean a death sentence. 

“This is a terrible idea.” He muttered under his breath, sliding his hands under the unconscious body of his partner. 

He lifted her swiftly, tucking her closely to his chest. The duo made their exit, winding through dark back alleys and avoiding main roads. They finally came to a worn down back-road, which Kieran decided was going to have to be good enough. He laid his partner on her back and tried to listen for a heartbeat. 

He couldn't hear anything.

But… How could… She was just…

She was just talking to him, she can’t just…

“No, no, no… Come on, Lauren. Wake up, you can do it. I know you can. Don’t go out like this! What about all the friends you were trying to protect!? How do you think they’re gonna take this??! How am I supposed to-” Kieran shook his head violently. He wasn’t going to let her die like this.

He began CPR, hoping he wasn’t too late.

One, two, three… twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty! Head tilted back, two rescue breaths, repeat.

Over and over again, until her eyes snapped open and she started breathing shallowly against him.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It came back in a wall of sound.

Light and color barraged her eyes, metal and gunpowder assaulted her nose, and shouts and sirens attacked her ears. It seemed like everything was magnified, everything was louder, brighter, _more_.

“Lauren!! Please, just look at me… Please, mon amour, I’m begging you. You know I never beg, so please, just this once, listen to me. I need you to look at me. Right now, **I know you can do it**. You’re too stubborn to go down that easy. Come on, please.” A voice begged, orders and pleas and cries blending together into a rainbow of emotion few could discern.

The officer looked around to find the owner of the voice, they sounded hurt. They might be in trouble! Her eyes locked onto a blue so sharp and powerful it made her wince. 

“Yes, yes that’s it, darling! I’m right here, just keep your eyes on me. Don’t worry about anything else, **I’m gonna get you out of here** , alright? Just keep your eyes open, please.” It’s the voice again, which means… They were talking to her? 

But Lauren couldn’t stay here, she had to find Kieran, still.

“Kie… Kieran I have...I have to find him. Help me look? He… I have to-”

“Shhh… No, darling. I’m right here. Don’t move, okay? I’m right here. Just stay still, please. I need you to stay still. I can’t tell what’s wrong yet, so you might make it worse.” Kieran pleaded, voice breaking every so often.

“Kieran? I’m… I’m fine, okay? You don’t- I need to-”

“No! The only thing you need to do is what I told you! I said stay still, alright? Stay still and quit talking, otherwise- No. **You’re going to be fine**. Just stay still.” The assassin snapped, his lack of control over the situation beginning to get to him.

“Please don’t- don’t lie to me right now. It hurts so bad.” The officer was so tired. She just wanted to rest her eyes for a moment.

She can’t breathe.

Lauren started hacking violently, blood sprayed from her mouth. Kieran flinched at the familiar feeling of blood on his clothes. This was different, though. This was Lauren’s blood. Anybody else, he wouldn’t have blinked, but… She was… Not her, please.

Kieran turned the woman on her side to keep her from choking, tears streamed down her face. She was scared. Lauren never liked admitting her fears, and she hated crying in front of people; always wanting to put up a front and make people feel safe. However, when confronted by death, the person she trusts most at her side, she knew it was okay to cry. It was okay to be vulnerable and put herself in Kieran’s hands.

All of a sudden she was being shifted again, her head was lifted and placed onto something softer. She looked down to see what was happening and saw the overcoat Kieran was wearing earlier. Which, of course, made her feel terrible when she spat blood onto it.

“Well, su-ubordinate,” Lauren’s voice was hoarse, “This-s is it. T-Try not to miss me… miss me too much.” Her bad attempt at a joke enraged the assassin, his teeth were gritted and he squeezed her hand between his own. 

“Shut the hell up, right now. **You aren’t going to die, okay?** You- you don’t deserve that.” His words did little to comfort her, but she looked to him anyway. She looked to him, and she smiled. It was bloody and a little painful to look at, but it was Lauren and she was smiling at him, trying to reassure him, and-

-and she was going to die. Beautiful, kind, stubborn, intelligent, perfect Lauren. His partner. His friend. The only person he’d ever- ever loved. 

She was going to die.

“FUCK!!” Kieran roared, standing and punching the wall next to him. Over and over again, until blood stained the wall and his knuckles ached.

Blood on the wall, blood on the overcoat he’d piled under Lauren.

Lauren’s blood.

“ _AAGHHH!!!_ ” The assassin screamed. He couldn’t take it. Not his darling, please. They had spent so much time together, joked together, fought together… He’d killed for her. And now she… Lauren was going to die. He still hadn’t told her...

“Kieran?” The rough whisper echoed through the alley. It froze him in place, the only thing that could drag him out of his head.

“Please, I… I don’t want to die alone.” One of the most headstrong people he’d ever known, Lauren had rarely ever sounded so meek. So scared. So vulnerable.

Earlier she had said he was lying to her. He supposed she was right; he had been lying to her as much as he was lying to himself. Not anymore, though, no. He wasn’t going to let her die. Just as Orpheus had gone to hell for the mere chance of bringing back Eurydice, he’d do anything. 

“You aren’t going to die.” Kieran spoke with such conviction, such confidence.

Maybe a little part of Lauren had believed him.

But as she took her last breath, enveloped in the warm arms of her partner as he sprinted to a hospital, she felt that little spark of hope be crushed by the undeniable truth.

Weeks later, Kieran would reflect on the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Orpheus may have gone to the underworld to retrieve Eurydice, but she had never made it out.


End file.
